I’m in the same boat @jmats17 … You have higher stats than I do and I know high school students that have gotten into FALL with a mid 1600 SAT and one honors class. I don’t know if anyone had a hook but rumor has it psu takes their alumni relations seriously, is this true? Honestly, I think some of the admissions decisions are random… Students with lower stats got in than some students with higher stats so who knows. Maybe some students have really great personal statements and possibly a plethora of EC’s. Good luck!! Has anyone heard from the College of Education? Not one of Penn State’s popular colleges I assume…
@freckledtatertot Many are successful at reconsideration, but there has to be a substantive change to your application. For example, those denied into a certain major may ask for reconsideration into DUS (undecided) or add on that they’d be willing to go in the summer, etc… If you just ask for reconsideration without a major change to your application (major, starting semester etc…) then those requests are rarely successful.
@freckledtatertot I honestly don’t know anyone personally who has been through the reconsideration process or has turned out successful. I’ve seen some people on this thread talk about how they were accepted to a branch campus and want to University Park to re-consider. They basically look at your transcript and test scores and see if they’re matching the standards of University Park. I know I wrote a really great essay which gave a reason why my test scores weren’t so hot. I’m just giving it a shot, don’t know if I’ll get in or not, but you never know if you never try. What major are you applying for? If it’s DUS and summer that should really up your chances.
@jihpsu So if I selected the same major and asked for reconsideration and same starting semster, that would lower my chances significantly? Are you sure of this? I selcted Univeristy Park as an alternate campus.
@jlhpsu thank you so much! Also @DragonFire16, my friend applied dus with summer option and got denied… I was told it’s risky unless you’re well over qualified which kind of makes sense. I was also told that it looks good when you know what you want to do, especially because my personal statement really reflected how my skills would help me succeed in my major. My major is early childhood and adolescent education and I applied for summer session only. I haven’t seen anyone get accepted yet to the college of education, I’m not so sure if that’s a very popular major at UP since their huge on engineering, nursing, etc. Teaching has been a passion of mine and I have had many experiences with it as well. My mind is torn as to what my opinion should be on dus other than that it could possibly hurt you. But hey, you never know!
@freckedtatertot, thanks for the info, that really opened my eyes. I guess chances are slim, let;s just hope for the best! I think applying summer for me would help ALOT. But, part of me dosen’t think it’s worth it.
Anyone else receive the provost’s award?
@Fisherprice111 My S is applying for Computer Engineering, too. You are definitely on the blue bubble of the chart so you should get in. We are waiting impatiently, too. The only thing I think about is if they are having a very competitive pool of students where they are holding off on accepting to the Engineering school. I think it is better to get into Engineering for Summer than to be DUS in the Fall. You are on all the emails and groups involved with that major of interest so you can dive in and feel a part of the Engineering community right away. Especially, because you have the stats to do it. In the event you don’t get accepted, you can always have a back up plan to be reconsidered for DUS Fall which is our plan for my S. Good luck! 
@Datahound My friend got a hold of the Dean of Admissions like a month ago and he said they barely start looking at the engineering applicants until the very end. Generally they take a few of the top tear applicants a month until January, then at the end crank them out. I really hope I get in ughhh. I’m willing to throw away my summer Penn State if that’s not dedication I don’t know what else is?! Best of luck to your S! Can you let me know what their GPA/SAT is?
@Fisherprice111 That is good news from the Dean. I could say that last year there were many posts around Jan 20 relating to Engineering so it can be true. Ironically, the posts also had similar stats to my S: 1850 SAT 3.90W GPA. Although your SAT is lower, your GPA compensates and puts you in the same grouping IMO. Where are you from? If your high school has a high rank, then your GPA is solid. My son goes to a HS that is ranked 12 out of 673 schools in PA.
@Datahound That’s what i was thinking. And my math SAT score is the highest of the three categories. My high school is like 32nd in the state, which isn’t too bad! With my GPA I’m still like 55th in my class. It’s very competitive! What is a 90% considered in your S’s highschool? Is it an A-?
@Fisherprice111 I think your are solid with your GPA with your school being #32. Are you in PA? If so, you’re weighted GPA 4.2 puts you in even stronger standing than my S stats as there is more consideration given to GPA 2/3 weight by PSU. I will go out on a limb and even say that you should have every chance for your major and Fall entry. =D>
BTW: to answer your question, a 90% is an A- in my Son’s HS. You need at least 92.5% for an A.
Yeah! I live in PA, and UGHHH I hope so!! My school is so weird. A 91 to 93 is an A-, A is 94 to 97, and A+ is 98-100. I think that;s why the make you send the counselor forms tho - so they can kind of see what your GPA truly means. A 90 in my school is a b+ for some reason. This wait is terrible. I submitted my app on September 8th. Do you think if for some reason I am rejected I could resend my new sat’s while they reconsider me for DUS? I retook them in December because PITT asked me to and got a 1860. @Datahound
@Fisherprice111 I think you are getting ahead of yourself, but I know you want to have a plan. I can’t advise you on how submitting later date test scores will affect the consideration process after you have been decided. In the event you get accepted to Summer, you may want to ask a counselor if higher test scores from a later date can get you into Fall. Other than that, I truly think you are in with your high GPA. Be proud and patient, good news should be on the way for both of us! B-)
BTW, I never heard of a college asking for a candidate to take an SAT again. How did they ask you to do that? Were you accepted contingent upon taking the exam?
@Datahound PITT sent me a letter saying that they wanted more informatiom to make my decision, specifically my mid senior year grades/ December SAT scores. I called the admissions office and they told me retaking my sats would make me more likely to be accepted. My friend did it last year and they told him the same thing. After he retook them he was accepted with a 1740! I think they just want to see improvement to be honest. It was rather strange
Accepted University Park DUS- 3.74 weighted gpa, 1650 SAT, 14 honors 2 APS
lots of EC and a great personal statement.
Stats:
SAT: 2020 (660M, 670CR, 690W)
SAT IIs: N/A
GPA: 4.9/5 (unweighted, standard GPA at my school is calculated out of 5)
Rank: N/A
Subjective:
Essays: Didn’t submit
Hook (if any): Not sure if a hook but female student applying to computer engineering probably helped?
State or Country: Country in Middle East
School Type: Private, international
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Other Factors:
I’m so surprised that I received my decision this early! I applied on the 30th of November but my SAT scores weren’t received until a week or so later which means I missed the priority deadline so I wasn’t expecting anything until around February, definitely not complaining though haha.
Just got admitted to the College of Arts and Architecture, Super pumped!!!
I submitted my application on November 30, but some of my supplemental came mid-december
ACT: 31
SAT: N/A
SAT IIs: N/A
GPA: 4.65 Weighted GPA 3.62 Unweighted
Rank: School doesn’t rank
Other stats:
Subjective:
Essays: 9/10 I thought it was good
Teacher Recs: Didn’t Submit
Counselor Rec: 9/10 I’m good friends with my counselor and he knows me well
Hook (if any):
Location/Person: Chicago
State or Country: Illinois
School Type: Magnet
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Other Factors: Varsity Baseball 4 years, service trips, Internship program with an Architecture firm, scholarship for University of Illinois Discover Architecture program, 9 total AP classes Full honors schedule
D Just got admitted to the College of Health and Human development. Kinesiology Major. Super pumped!!!
Application submitted on November 20 but test scores arrived on Dec 8th.
ACT: N/A
SAT: 1640
SAT IIs: N/A
GPA: 3.7 Weighted GPA 3.5 Unweighted
Rank: 123/535
Other stats:
Subjective:
Essays: 9/10 I thought it was good
Teacher Recs: Didn’t read
Counselor Rec: Didn’t read
Hook (if any):
Location/Person: Suffol county
State or Country: NY
School Type:
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Other Factors: Varsity XC and Track 4 years, very well rounded. Lots of work experience. 6 total AP classes Full honors schedule
S just got admitted to the College of Engineering (Mech E) at University Park to begin in the fall. He is home-educated.
ACT: 33
SAT: N/A
SAT IIs: N/A
GPA: 3.97 unweighted
Rank: N/A
Other stats: high ASVAB score (can’t remember the #)
Subjective:
Essays: decent
Teacher Recs: Didn’t read
Counselor Rec: N/A
Hook (if any): ?
Location/Person: ?
State or Country: MD
School Type: home school, classical-eclectic, college prep
Ethnicity: multi-racial
Gender: male
Other Factors: home-educated but online courses from regionally accredited colleges and homeschool course providers; APs; dual enrollment; summer engineering program at a well-known public university; engineering courses in high school;